Those eligible are Thai citizens aged 18 years and over, born before August 16, 1998, and earning not more than Bt100,000 a year or unemployed.

Currently, there are about 10 million low-income earners on welfare, with 8 million receiving the allowance for the elderly and the rest other benefits from the government, Pornchai Theeravech, deputy director-general of the Finance Ministry’s Fiscal Policy Department, said yesterday.

BAAC estimates 20 million low-income earners – defined as Thai nationals aged 18 and over, earning not over Bt100,000 a year or unemployed – among the country’s 65-million population.

Pornchai said the registration would support the government’s policy to help low-income earners access welfare that matches their needs.

Now, the government provides welfare through an old database and some of the information does not represent the current situation.

For example, about 100,000 of the 8 million recipients of the elderly allowance have already died but the money is still paid out.

The information from the low-income earners registering through the three state-owned banks will update the database and also help the government to design benefits to match their needs.

“However, we cannot say what the welfare will be after the registration is completed. They will be designed after we get more information from the registration system,” he said.

Chatchai Payuhanaveechai, president of GSB, said the bank targeted up to 2 million low-income earners registering at its 1,050 branches nationwide.

They have to show their identity cards at the branch and also provide information on their income, assets and liabilities. Then they will get a receipt so that they can check on October 1 at the Revenue Department’s website whether their registration was completed.

Wanchai Charoenchaimongkol, director of the office of informal debt management at BAAC, said that up to 3 million were expected to register at its more than 3,000 branches.

“If more people than the estimate are interested in registering, the bank also has the capacity to serve the demand,” he said.

Jitti Supakamolsanee, senior vice president and head of cash management products at KTB, estimates about 500,000 Thais registering at its 1,216 branches nationwide.

Porchai said: “We will open registrations and update the information every year after the first time this year.”